How To Make a Recycled Sweater Ornament

There's definitely no shortage of holiday ornaments out there to buy, but there's something so satisfying about making a few. It's always nice to give/receive something handmade—and one-of-a-kind—and by making a few for yourself, you get to create a little memory that you can revisit every year when you pull them out to decorate the tree.

These ornaments are fairly easy, adorable, and—bonus!—you're recycling. Even if you're not generally crafty, making ornaments is a great way to spend some time away from screens and with loved ones. Pro tip: a little eggnog or special holiday punch is a must at any crafting party.

Some styrofoam balls come with holes at either end, but if yours doesn't, you'll need to make one using the wood skewer (or something similar). Make the hole approximately the size of a dime.

Place the ball into the pouch you created with the sleeve. Using the back of the skewer or a pencil, gently push the "knot" you created by sewing the sleeve closed into the hole in the ball. Make the hole larger if necessary.

Once the bottom looks good, it's time to finish off the top. First, pull and stretch the fabric over the ball, making sure it's completely covered but that you have as little extra fabric as possible. Then, do a dry test and make sure the fabric can fit into the hole you made. You want it to look as neat as possible, so increase the size of the hole if necessary. Once you're happy with how it looks, do it again—but this time apply a few drops of hot glue to help keep the material in place.

Have a really great DIY project or tutorial that you want to share with others? Let us know! We love checking out what you're making these days, and learning from our readers. When you're ready, click here to submit your project and photos.